Becoming a god starts with one certificate becoming eternal.

The mother pursed her lips, forcibly suppressing the bitterness in her heart. She first placed the basin against the wall, then slowly pressed the rag into the water, softened it, and wrung it out, as if she wanted to wipe away the last bit of dust in the room.

Before the rag could even reach the windowsill, she couldn't help but turn around and bend down to gently tuck Xiaoxue's blanket tighter. Her movements were so light they didn't seem like she was tucking in a blanket, but rather like she was protecting a newly lit fire.

She didn't say anything, but tucked the blanket in even tighter, as if afraid the heat would escape through the gaps.

Ye Xiao didn't say anything more. He watched as Xiao Xue slept soundly, her breath falling gently into the blankets, as if she was finally no longer afraid of the cold.

But he still didn't dare to truly relax; a series of worries were constantly on his mind.

Ye Xiao stared at the firelight and jumped, only then realizing that his heart hadn't truly settled since he entered the room.

His mind raced.

The red slip incident—I seized the opportunity, made money, and solved my immediate problem, but it also created an enemy.

Brother Zhang hasn't returned yet, the debt is still pending, and once the other party shows up, blood will be spilled. The profits from securing the red slip are not a small amount, and the other party won't allow anyone else to get a piece of it.

Zhang Tu is dead, but the thread is still there.

Even though he's now a gray sleeve, no one really knows who's been watching him from the shadows.

The month's worth of medicine debt from the pharmacy is drawing ever closer.

He hadn't forgotten the contract he'd made back then.

A single piece of paper can become a chain, and at that point, the debt won't just be money, but a life.

Ah Shuang was saved, but she herself was also dragged into the situation.

Even if the town magistrate provides a proper path, actually walking on it is not as easy as one might imagine.

Even a single misstep could implicate matters in the upper city, leading to utter ruin.

The Green Owl Gang has made a name for themselves, but the real test is yet to come: the robbery of the caravan in five days—a blatant and obvious danger. If any link in the chain goes wrong, his entire plan will be ruined, and he could even lose his life.

Even if he survives, if the robbery fails, he will have to abandon the line with Master Huang.

Ultimately... it's still too weak.

If he is already a quasi-martial artist, or even a true martial artist, these troubles and dangers are nothing.

Ye Xiao suppressed all of this in his heart and got up to leave.

He knew that everything in his family was something he had risked his life for time and time again, and he had no right or time to linger here for even a moment longer.

Ye Xiao pulled the collar of his old cotton coat up and glanced back before leaving.

The mother was by Xiaoxue's side. Xiaoxue was sleeping soundly in the firelight, and her brows and eyes were no longer so tightly closed as if they might break at any moment.

He said softly, "I'm going out for a bit."

The mother nodded and said, "Be careful, and don't force yourself."

After confirming Ye Xiao's identity as an inner disciple, she felt less flustered, but she was still worried that Ye Xiao might be in danger when he went out.

Ye Xiao hummed in agreement.

As we left Qingshi Lane, the fog thickened. In the distance, towards Beilu, the night seemed to be pierced by a red line of firelight.

He suppressed his breathing, his steps landing slowly but steadily, heading towards the heatwave of iron and coal dust.

……

The wind in the North Furnace is harsher than elsewhere.

The wind carried rust, coal dust, and a faint, sweet, fishy smell.

Every time it comes rushing towards me, it feels like a cold knife scraping against my nose.

However, this was already commonplace for Ye Xiao.

When he stepped into the furnace area, the fire was burning brightly. Ash smoke billowed along the furnace rim, and the firelight cast flickering shadows on him, making him look from a distance like a group of black nails driven into the fire.

The shouts from the stove stopped for a moment as soon as he appeared.

The foreman was counting the items when he looked up and saw him. He froze for a moment, then his face turned deathly pale.

It's not that I'm afraid of the wind, it's that I'm afraid of fire, it's that I'm

The foreman's eyes flashed with so much too quickly... shock, fear, and doubt.

He snapped the blackened copper coin shut in his hand, took a few steps forward, and approached with a very low, more respectful voice than usual:

"Master Ye...?"

Ye Xiao didn't stop walking, only replying lightly, "I'm here to work."

The foreman's Adam's apple bobbed, as if he were swallowing a mouthful of ash.

He glanced around and quickly led the person to the shadows to avoid their gaze from the stove.

"Master Chen...sent someone to deliver a message today." The foreman spoke very slowly, as if he was weighing each word carefully: "He said you've become the new Greysleeve."

Ye Xiao did not deny it.

The foreman didn't dare ask any more questions. He quickly pulled a small cloth bag from his pocket, presented it with both hands, and said in a hurried and low voice:

"This is your unpaid wages. Master Chen instructed me to deliver it to you... but when I went to your place in Mute Alley this afternoon, the door was locked, and the neighbors said they hadn't seen you."

He paused, then quickly added, as if afraid of being blamed:

"I waited there for a long time, but no one left."

Ye Xiao glanced at the cloth bag, reached out and took it, then closed his sleeve, completely muffled the clanging sound.

"I've moved," was his only reply.

The foreman's heart tightened, and he immediately swallowed his doubts. Asking too many questions about Gray Sleeves would be suicidal.

Compared to the inner disciples of the martial arts school, he was more afraid of Gray Sleeve. After all, the Northern Furnace was under the control of the Green Owl Gang. Even though this was not Ye Xiao's territory, he was still trembling with fear.

The foreman bent even lower, his voice tightening:

"Yes, I'll remember."

He paused, then, as if remembering the rules, quickly added the most important thing to say:

"Master Ye, this area of ​​Beilu is under Master Chen's control. Now that you've arrived, I need to go and let him know, so that Master Chen won't misunderstand."

Ye Xiao's gaze fell on the firelight along the edge of the stove, and without turning around, he said, "Go."

The foreman readily agreed, then turned and winked at a laborer beside him. The laborer shuddered, then turned and ran out as if chased by the furnace fire.

Outside the shadows, the veteran workers at the furnace foot all witnessed this scene.

They dared not speak, and they didn't even dare to make a suggestive glance.

They heard those whispered words a little while ago, since they weren't far away... Master Ye, Xin Huixiu.

Thinking back to even earlier times, Ye Xiao had just become an inner disciple of the martial arts school, making all of this seem unbelievable to them.

However, they shared the foreman's thoughts: the inner sect was indeed awe-inspiring, but they couldn't control them, so they weren't that afraid.

But the gray sleeves could truly take their lives... Now, with these two things piled up together, they weighed heavily on their hearts.

A gust of wind from the furnace blew, and all the extraneous thoughts were suppressed back into the lungs; everyone pretended not to see or hear anything...

Even if you actually see or hear something, you have to pretend to be blind and deaf.

Not long after, footsteps could be heard coming from the entrance of the furnace area.

Not fast, but steady.

It was as steady as if it were walking on the right rules.

Master Chen walked in against the wind, his clothes fluttering in the breeze from the stove, but he didn't look disheveled; instead, he looked like a slowly unfolding smiling face.

His smile was gentle, yet it sent chills down your spine.

Two men followed behind him. With a glance, the furnace workers lowered their heads even further, suppressing their coughs.

Master Chen glanced at the foreman first.

The foreman immediately lowered his voice: "Master Chen, Master Ye intends to continue working here."

Only then did Master Chen turn his gaze to Ye Xiao, a smile that remained unchanged for years playing on his lips:

"Ye Xiao".

"Now that you're a Graysleeve, you shouldn't be wielding a shovel here anymore."

Ye Xiao replied neither humbly nor arrogantly, "I was just registered today, and Hall Master Huang hasn't assigned me any work yet. I'm short of money, so I came."

Master Chen's smile froze for a moment.

Short of money?

It's not that Greysleeves doesn't value money, but no one would come to the North Furnace for such a small wage.

The risks of the North Furnace are well known.

But Ye Xiao's words were very direct, almost as if he was doing it on purpose.

Or they're really broke.

Either... they simply don't want to tell the truth.

Master Chen smiled again soon, his smile becoming even gentler:

"The wages at the North Furnace were just passable for Gray Sleeve."

He paused slightly, his tone still casual, yet every word seemed to be laced with suppressed anger:

"But people here are so distraught that even Hui Xiu dares not linger."

"If you want to work here, I can make things convenient for you... but you have to remember three things: first, don't overstep your bounds; second, don't make things difficult for me; and third, you'll owe me a favor."

Ye Xiao nodded: "I've got it."

Master Chen's smile deepened.

He turned to the foreman and said, "If Ye Xiao wants to work here, just give him the work. Don't say anything else or cause any trouble."

The foreman nodded vigorously: "Yes, yes, yes."

Master Chen added another sentence, still smiling, but it sounded like he was establishing a rule:

"Don't delay your wages. Instead of paying every three days, change it to paying on the same day."

"Since people are working on my turf, the accounts must be clear and transparent, with no more and no less."

After he finished speaking, he glanced at Ye Xiao again, his face still full of smiles:

"Brother, I'm off now."

"Don't forget what you said. Also, my name is Chen Rui."

After Chen Rui left, the sounds of hammers and shovels resumed in the furnace area.

But the atmosphere had changed.

Ye Xiao walked to the edge of the furnace, the firelight reflecting in his eyes like lamps counting down.

He knows what he wants.

Before the robbery began, he needed to push his strength to the next level and not relax even slightly.

Whether we survive or not might depend on this one step.

He had calculated in his mind that the medicine he had should be enough for him to finish this round of cultivation.

Ye Xiao stood firmly on his feet, taking one step at a time as he ascended.

A draft of steam came from the furnace.

They couldn't budge him in the slightest.